Ajman Free Zone, the most proactive free zone in the Northern Emirates, today said its e-commerce license issuance to an array of new regional and global digital enterprises year–on-year ending December 2016 soared by 35 per cent.

A statement from the free zone said the surge in demand for e-commerce licenses were driven by the convenience it offers in terms of registering new enterprises through its e-services platform coupled with the facility to do online transactions from anywhere in the world.

“The superior telecom infrastructure of the UAE and the ease at which Ajman Free Zone services can be accessed at the click of a mouse have certainly attracted digital enterprises home in on the free zone. Last year e-commerce license was one of the fastest growing categories at the free zone,” said Mr. Mahmood Al Hashemi, Director General, Ajman Free Zone.

“In the last couple of years, we have been closely following the digital entrepreneurship space across the globe and the region, simultaneously evolving with the changing trend fueled by the exponentially rising number of e-commerce business, particularly those that are targeted at the Middle East market where online shopping is growing at a rapid pace,” he said.

The e-commerce companies registered with Ajman Free Zone cuts across a diverse range of businesses from B2C online retailers to B2B digital entities from Europe, countries in Africa, CIS and India.

Mr. Hashemi said e-commerce in the region was thriving thanks to the fast paced expansion of the internet audience across the Middle East with a population of 246 million, out of which it is estimated that close to 60 per cent have internet access. “This is a fertile ground for growth and we at Ajman Free Zone will continue to support e-commerce entrepreneurs reap dividends from this growth conducive environment,” he added.

Independent reports have forecast that the Middle East e-commerce market valued at US$4.9 billion currently would grow to US$10 billion by 2018, thanks to more regional consumers opting for online shopping, particularly through mobile phones.

“At Ajman Free Zone, we have always anticipated the needs of new entrepreneurs, including from the e-commerce space, and have offered customers a versatile, smart and seamless investment facilitation service. We have moved with the times and have put in a place a robust digital platform for investors to access our services and many of the e-commerce players registered with us have utilized this for swift closure of business processes,” said Mr. Nader ElDesouky, Deputy Director General, Ajman Free Zone.

He said the e-commerce entrepreneurs which also included startups from the UAE and the region were attracted to the free zone thanks to its fast-track policy of issuing licenses within two hours if all conditions are met and the installment facility which is unique to Ajman Free Zone.

“We have created a perfect platform for new and upcoming entrepreneurs as well as for large mature investors at Ajman Free Zone, one reason we have been able to grow investments into the free zone at a phenomenal pace. By putting in place digital capabilities and channels for investors to reach us, Ajman Free Zone has been able to be at the forefront of investment facilitators in the UAE,” said Rishi Somaiya, Director, Ajman Free Zone.